1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting system for an adjustable article supporting member in a refrigerator, and more particularly to such a system that includes first and second adjustable support members, mounted on opposite sides of a refrigerator compartment, each support member having a track for slidably receiving a side of a refrigerator shelf or a side of a storage bin therein; wherein, the track of the first support member permits lateral movement of the refrigerator shelf or storage bin and the track of the second support member substantially prevents lateral movement of the refrigerator shelf or storage bin so as to securely support the refrigerator shelf or storage bin and allow the shelf or bin to be pulled out smoothly by accommodating dimensional variations in the refrigerator compartment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mounting systems for adjustable refrigerator shelves are known to include elongated support members mounted, for example, on the rear wall of the refrigerator compartment liner, wherein, each support member includes a number of vertically aligned slots. Hooks extending from the rear of a refrigerator shelf are inserted into horizontally aligned slots of two support members to removably secure the refrigerator shelf in the refrigerator compartment. A similar refrigerator shelf mounting system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,152 vertically elongated tracks having an S-shaped cross-section abut the rear wall of a refrigerator compartment while being secured to a sidewall thereof. The tracks include a number of slots for receiving a hook extending from a bracket secured to a refrigerator shelf to mount the refrigerator shelf in the refrigerator compartment. Although this type of mounting system allows a refrigerator shelf to be mounted at various heights within the refrigerator compartment, the refrigerator shelf cannot be pulled out. Because the refrigerator shelf cannot be pulled out, articles located at the rear of the refrigerator shelf may be difficult to reach.
U.S. Pat. No. 682,035 shows a refrigerator shelf support system that includes a pair of rear upright supports having a series of slots therein, the rear upright supports being mounted on a rear wall of a refrigerator compartment. A pair of front upright supports are mounted on a front wall of the refrigerator compartment, the front upright supports also having a series of slots therein. Horizontally extending shelf supports are provided with a flange at the front and rear thereof for insertion into respective slots in the front and rear upright supports. Each of the shelf supports includes a track into which a side of a refrigerator shelf is inserted so as to mount the refrigerator shelf in the refrigerator compartment. As shown therein, the refrigerator shelf fits snugly in each track of the shelf supports so as to prevent lateral movement of the shelf.
Liners of refrigerator compartments are now typically formed of plastic so that dimensional variations in the refrigerator compartment, such as the width of the compartment, must be accounted for when mounting refrigerator shelves therein. The dimensional variations of the refrigerator compartment liner typically do not become apparent until operation of the refrigerator making it difficult to provide a refrigerator shelf mounting system that provides positive support and allows a refrigerator shelf to be smoothly pulled out.